Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-s2hrs Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-12T16:37:08.522Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Family members’ perspectives on the acceptability and impact of a co-facilitated information programme: the EOLAS mental health programme

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 September 2019

Agnes Higgins Open the ORCID record for Agnes Higgins [Opens in a new window] ,
Carmel Downes ,
Mark Monahan ,
David Hevey ,
Fiona Boyd ,
Ned Cusack  and
Patrick Gibbons
Agnes Higgins*
Affiliation:
School of Nursing & Midwifery, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland
Carmel Downes
Affiliation:
School of Nursing & Midwifery, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland
Mark Monahan
Affiliation:
School of Nursing & Midwifery, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland
David Hevey
Affiliation:
School of Psychology, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland
Fiona Boyd
Affiliation:
Kildare Youth Services, Kildare, Ireland
Ned Cusack
Affiliation:
Celbridge Adult Mental Health Services, Kildare, Ireland
Patrick Gibbons
Affiliation:
Celbridge Adult Mental Health Services, Kildare, Ireland
*
*Address for correspondence: A. Higgins PhD, School of Nursing & Midwifery, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland. (Email: ahiggins@tcd.ie)
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Background:

Despite the critical role families play in the care and recovery journeys of people who experience enduring mental distress, they are often excluded by the mental health services in the care and decision-making process. International trends in mental health services emphasise promoting a partnership approach between service users, families and practitioners within an ethos of recovery.

Objective:

This paper evaluated the acceptability of and initial outcomes from a clinician and peer co-led family information programme.

Methods:

A sequential design was used involving a pre-post survey to assess changes in knowledge, confidence, advocacy, recovery and hope following programme participation and interviews with programme participants. Participants were recruited from mental health services running the information programme. In all, 86 participants completed both pre- and post-surveys, and 15 individuals consented to interviews.

Results:

Survey findings indicated a statistically significant change in family members’ knowledge about mental health issues, recovery attitudes, sense of hope and confidence. In addition, the interviews suggested that the programme had a number of other positive outcomes for family members, including increased communication with members of the mental health team and increased awareness of communication patterns within the family unit. Family members valued the opportunity to share their experiences in a ‘safe’ place, learn from each other and provide mutual support.

Conclusion:

The evaluation highlights the importance of developing information programmes in collaboration with family members as well as the strength of a programme that is jointly facilitated by a family member and clinician.

Keywords

Psychoeducationrecoveryco-facilitationpeer facilitationevaluation
Type
Original Research
Information
Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine , Volume 39 , Issue 1 , March 2022 , pp. 64 - 73
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2019. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of The College of Psychiatrists of Ireland

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Aldersey, HM, Whitley, R (2015). Family influence in recovery from severe mental illness. Community Mental Health Journal 51, 467.10.1007/s10597-014-9783-yCrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bademli, K, Duman, ZÇ (2016). Emotions, ideas and experiences of caregivers of patients with schizophrenia about “Family to Family Support Program”. Archives of Psychiatric Nursing 30, 329–333.10.1016/j.apnu.2015.12.002CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Barber, J, Rosenheck, R, Armstrong, M, Resnick, S (2008). Monitoring the dissemination of peer support in the VA system. Community Mental Health Journal 44, 433–441.10.1007/s10597-008-9146-7CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bebbington, P, Kuipers, L (1994). The predictive utility of EE in schizophrenia: an aggregate analysis. Psychological Medicine Psychological Medicine 24, 707–718.10.1017/S0033291700027860CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Borkin, J, Steffan, J, Krzton, E, Wishnick, H, Wilder, K, Yangarber, N (2000). Recovery Attitudes Questionnaire: Development and evaluation. Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal 24, 95–102.10.1037/h0095112CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Brashers, D, Haas, S, Neidig, J (1999). The patient self-advocacy scale: measuring patient involvement in health care decision-making interactions. Health Communication 11, 97–121.10.1207/s15327027hc1102_1CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Butzlaff, RL, Hooley, JM (1998). Expressed emotion and psychiatric relapse: a meta-analysis. Archives of General Psychiatry, 55, 547–552.10.1001/archpsyc.55.6.547CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Chiu, MYL, Wei, GFW, Lee, S, Choovanichvong, S, Wong, FHT (2013). Empowering caregivers: Impact analysis of Family Link Education Programme (FLEP) in Hong Kong, Taipei and Bangkok. The International Journal of Social Psychiatry 59, 28–39.10.1177/0020764011423171CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cleary, A, Walsh, F, Dowling, M (2014). Family carers: lived experience of caring for relatives with an SMI. British Journal of Mental Health Nursing 3, 151–156.10.12968/bjmh.2014.3.4.151CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Coulthard, K, Patel, D, Brizzolara, C, Morriss, R, Watson, S (2013). A feasibility study of expert patient and community mental health team led bipolar psychoeducation groups: implementing an evidence based practice. BMC Psychiatry 13, 301–313.10.1186/1471-244X-13-301CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Department of Health and Children (2006). A Vision for Change: Report of the Expert Group on Mental Health Policy. The Stationery Office: Dublin.Google Scholar
Dixon, L, Lucksted, A, Stewart, B, Burland, J, Brown, CH, Postrado, L, McGuire, C, Hoffman, M (2004). Outcomes of the peer-taught 12-week family-to-family education program for severe mental illness. Acta Psychiatrica Scandanavia 109, 207–215.10.1046/j.0001-690X.2003.00242.xCrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Friedman-Yakoobian, MS, de Mamani, AW, Mueser, KT (2009). Predictors of distress and hope in relatives of individuals with schizophrenia. The Israel Journal of Psychiatry and Related Sciences 46, 130–140.Google ScholarPubMed
Geffken, GR, Storch, EA, Duke, DC, Monaco, L, Lewin, AB, Goodman, WK (2006). Hope and coping in family members of patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder. Journal of Anxiety Disorders 20, 614–629.10.1016/j.janxdis.2005.07.001CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Gehart, DR (2012). The mental health recovery movement and family therapy, part I: consumer-led reform of services to persons diagnosed with severe mental illness. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy 38, 429–442.10.1111/j.1752-0606.2011.00230.xCrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Glaser, BG, Strauss, AL (1967). The Discovery of Grounded Theory: Strategies or Qualitative Research. Transaction Publishers: Chicago.Google Scholar
Green, CA, Janoff, SL, Yarborough, BJ, Paulson, RI (2013). The recovery group project: development of an intervention led jointly by peer and professional counselors. Psychiatric services 64, 1211–1217.10.1176/appi.ps.201200546CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Health Service Executive (2017). Best Practice Guidance for Mental Health Services: Supporting you to meet Regulatory Requirements and towards Continuous Quality Improvement. Health Service Executive: Dublin. https://www.hse.ie/eng/services/list/4/mental-health-services/mental-health-guidance/best-practice-guidance/documents/best-practice-guidance-for-mental-health-services.pdf Google Scholar
Hernandez, M, Barrio, C, Yamada, AM (2013). Hope and burden among Latino families of adults with schizophrenia. Family Process 52, 697–708.10.1111/famp.12042CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Herth, K (1992). Abbreviated instrument to measure hope: development and psychometric evaluation. Journal of Advanced Nursing 17, 1251–1259.10.1111/j.1365-2648.1992.tb01843.xCrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Higgins, A; Hevey, D, Boyd, F, Cusack, N, Downes, C, Monahan, M, McBennett, P, Gibbons, P (2018). Outcomes of a co-facilitation skills training programme for mental health service users, family members and clinicians: the EOLAS project. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing, 27, 911–921.10.1111/inm.12388CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Higgins, A, Hevey, D, Gibbons, P, O’ Connor, C, Boyd, F, McBennett, P, Monahan, M (2017a). A participatory approach to the development of a co-produced and co-delivered information programme for users of services and family members: the EOLAS programme (paper 1). Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine 34, 19–27.10.1017/ipm.2015.68CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Higgins, A, Hevey, D, Gibbons, P, O’ Connor, C, Boyd, F, McBennett, P, Monahan, M (2017b). Impact of co-facilitated information programmes on outcomes for service users and family members: the EOLAS programmes (paper 2). Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine 34, 29–37.10.1017/ipm.2015.69CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hungerford, C, Richardson, F (2013). Operationalising recovery-oriented services: the challenges for carers. Advances in Mental Health 12, 11–21.10.5172/jamh.2013.12.1.11CrossRefGoogle Scholar
International Mental Health Collaborating Network Charter (2013). Charter (http://imhcn.org/charter/). Accessed 4 February 2019.Google Scholar
Jönsson, PD, Skärsäter, I, Wijk, H, Danielson, E (2011). Experience of living with a family member with bipolar disorder. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing 20, 29–37.10.1111/j.1447-0349.2010.00704.xCrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Jormfeldt, H, Rask, M, Brunt, D, Bengtsson, A, Svedberg, P (2010). Experiences of a person-centred health education group intervention–A qualitative study among people with a persistent mental illness. Issues in Mental Health Nursing 33, 209–216.10.3109/01612840.2011.653041CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kartalova-O’Doherty, Y, Doherty, D, Walsh, D (2008). Family Support Study: A Study of the Experiences, Needs and Support Requirements of Families with Enduring Mental Illness in Ireland. Health Research Board: Dublin.Google Scholar
Kartalova-O’Doherty, Y, Stevenson, C, Higgins, A (2012). Reconnecting with life: a grounded theory study of mental health recovery in Ireland. Journal of Mental Health 21, 136–144.Google ScholarPubMed
Kavanagh, DJ (1992). Recent developments in expressed emotion and schizophrenia. British Journal of Psychiatry 160, 601–620.10.1192/bjp.160.5.601CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Keogh, B, Higgins, A, DeVries, J, Morrissey, J, Callaghan, P, Ryan, D, Gijbels, H, Nash, M (2014). ‘We have got the tools’: qualitative evaluation of a mental health Wellness Recovery Action Planning (WRAP) education programme in Ireland. Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing 21, 189–196.10.1111/jpm.12068CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lefley, HP (2009). A psychoeducational support group for serious mental illness. The Journal for Specialists in Group Work 34, 369–381.10.1080/01933920903219094CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lucksted, A, Medoff, D, Burland, J, Stewart, B, Fang, LJ, Brown, C, Jones, A, Lehman, A, Dixon, LB (2013). Sustained outcomes of a peer-taught family education program on mental illness. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica 127, 279–286.10.1111/j.1600-0447.2012.01901.xCrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lucksted, A, Stewart, B, Forbes, CB (2008). Benefits and changes for family to family graduates. American Journal of Community Psychology 42, 154–166.10.1007/s10464-008-9195-7CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Marshall, S, Deane, F, Crowe, T, White, A, Kavanagh, D (2013). Carers’ hope, wellbeing and attitudes regarding recovery. Community Mental Health Journal 49, 344–353.10.1007/s10597-012-9568-0CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
McCabe, R, Whittington, R, Cramond, L, Perkins, E (2018). Contested understandings of recovery in mental health. Journal of Mental Health 27, 475–481.10.1080/09638237.2018.1466037CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
McNeil, S (2013). Understanding family-centered care in the mental health system: perspectives from family members caring for relatives with mental health issues. Social Work in Mental Health 11, 55–74.10.1080/15332985.2012.720662CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mental Health Commission (2007). Quality Framework: Mental Health Services in Ireland. Mental Health Commission: Dublin.Google Scholar
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (2009). Schizophrenia: Core Interventions in the Treatment and Management of Schizophrenia in Adults in Primary and Secondary Care. National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence: London.Google Scholar
O’Féich, P, Mitchell, K, Pérez, S, McDaid, S (2019). My Voice Matters: Report on a National Consultation with Family, Friends and Carers/Supporters of Mental Health Service Users. Mental Health Reform: Dublin.Google Scholar
Office of the Attorney General (2001). Mental Health Act 2001. (No. 25). Available at: http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2001/act/25/enacted/en/print.html.Google Scholar
Onken, SJ, Craig, CM, Ridgway, P, Ralph, RO, Cook, JA (2007). An analysis of the definitions and elements of recovery: a review of the literature. Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal 31, 9–22.10.2975/31.1.2007.9.22CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Pickett-Schenk, S, Bennett, C, Steigman, P, Cook, J, Lippincott, R, Villagracia, I, Grey, D (2006). Changes in caregiving satisfaction and information needs among relatives of adults with mental illness: results of a randomised evaluation of family-led education intervention. American Journal of Othropsychiatry 76, 545–553.10.1037/0002-9432.76.4.545CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pickett-Schenk, S, Lippincott, RC, Bennett, C, Steigman, P (2008). Improving knowledge about mental illness through family-led education: the journey of hope. Psychiatric Services 59, 49–56.10.1176/ps.2008.59.1.49CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pratt, CW, Lu, W, Swarbrick, M, Murphy, A (2011). Selective provision of illness management and recovery modules. American Journal of Psychiatric Rehabilitation 14, 245–258.10.1080/15487768.2011.622133CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Repper, J (2012). Recovery and Social Inclusion in Mental Health: Learning from Lived Experience. John Wiley and Sons Ltd: Hoboken, United States.Google Scholar
Resnick, S, Armstrong, M, Sperrazza, M, Harkness, L, Rosenheck, R (2004). A model of consumer-provide partnership: Vet-to-Vet. Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal 28, 185–187.10.2975/28.2004.185.187CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Resnick, S, Rosenheck, R (2008). Integrating peer-provided services: a quasi-experimental study of recovery orientation, confidence and empowerment. Psychiatric Services 59, 1307–1314.10.1176/ps.2008.59.11.1307CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Reupert, A, Maybery, D, Cox, M, Scott Stokes, E (2015). Place of family in recovery models for those with a mental illness. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing 24, 495–506.10.1111/inm.12146CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Schiffman, J, Reeves, GM, Kline, E, Medoff, DR, Lucksted, A, Hoagwood, K, Fang, LJ, Dixon, LB (2015). Outcomes of a family peer education program for families of youth and adults with mental illness. International Journal of Mental Health 44, 303–315.10.1080/00207411.2015.1076293CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Slade, M (2009). Personal Recovery and Mental Illness: A Guide for Mental Health Professionals. Cambridge University: Cambridge.10.1017/CBO9780511581649CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Solomon, P (2004). Peer support/peer provided services underlying processes, benefits, and critical ingredients. Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal 27, 392–401.10.2975/27.2004.392.401CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Solomon, P, Draine, J, Mannion, E, Meisel, M. (1997). Effectiveness of two models of brief family education: Retention of gains by family members of adults with serious mental illness. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry 67, 177–186.10.1037/h0080221CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Tew, J (2013). Recovery capital: what enables a sustainable recovery from mental health difficulties? European Journal of Social Work 16, 360–374.10.1080/13691457.2012.687713CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Topor, A, Borg, M, Mezzina, R, Sells, D, Marin, I, Davidson, L (2006). Others: the role of family, friends, and professionals in the recovery process. American Journal of Psychiatric Rehabilitation 9, 17–37.10.1080/15487760500339410CrossRefGoogle Scholar
van de Bovenkamp, HM, Trappenburg, MJ, Grit, KJ (2010). Patient participation in collective healthcare decision making: the Dutch model. Health Expectations 13, 73–85.10.1111/j.1369-7625.2009.00567.xCrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Watts, M, Higgins, A (2017). Narratives of Recovery from Mental Illness: Role of Peer Support. Routledge Taylor and Francis Group: Oxon and New York.Google Scholar
World Health Organization (2010). User Empowerment in Mental Health: A Statement by the WHO Regional Office for Europe. World Health Organization: Copenhagen.Google Scholar
Wyder, M, Bland, R (2014). The recovery framework as a way of understanding families’ responses to mental illness: balancing different needs and recovery journeys. Australian Social Work 67, 179–196.10.1080/0312407X.2013.875580CrossRefGoogle Scholar